Open conversazione

[red]

Chelsea
Shakhtar
Juventus
Nodsjaelland

Could have been worse, could have been better.

[Bagg10]

Not a bad draw imo. It was either Barca or Chelsea at the time we were drawn, so I was pretty relieved.

[red]

Yeah, that other group - with Barca, Benfica and Celtic - would have been significantly tougher.

[Bagg10]

[Bagg10]

No Bendtner tomorrow...

A Udine con 20 giocatori
01 settembre 2012

http://www.juventus.com/juve/it/news/A+ ... +giocatori

La Juventus ritrova Gigi Buffon e Martin Caceres. Il portiere e il difensore figurano regolarmente nell’elenco dei convocati per la partita contro l’Udinese, diramato al termine dell’allenamento di rifinitura sostenuto questa mattina a Vinovo.

In tutto sono 20 i giocatori a disposizione per la trasferta al Friuli.


Questo l’elenco completo:


1 Buffon
3 Chiellini
4 Caceres
6 Pogba
8 Marchisio
9 Vucinic
11 De Ceglie
12 Giovinco
15 Barzagli
19 Bonucci
21 Pirlo
22 Asamoah
23 Vidal
24 Giaccherini
26 Lichtsteiner
27 Quagliarella
30 Storari
31 Branescu
32 Matri
39 Marrone

[p_maldini_3]

bendtner.

lol.

[red]

Tidy enough performance, even if it was little more than an exercise in concentration for the most part.

Penalty was a correct decision, but don't see any reason for the 'keeper to have been sent off.

Not much else to say about it.

[Zoff82]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dKSJN3WWR3E

I think Juve should have this song coming out of the tunnel when they play Coma (as well as when I log on to the website). I think this team is better than last season. They have to find their stride in attack. Rough red card/goal that early in the game. It's usually over when something like that happens so early in the game. What are Juve going to do with Bendtener? I'd hate to see Giovinco on the bench for the good of Juve and Italy.

[Bagg10]

[red]

Juve certainly have a better squad than last season, but too soon to say how big an improvement has been made.

Pretty sure Bendtner was just a cheap, depth signing, since going into the season with four forwards would probably have left Juve a little light.

Don't see any danger of him getting ahead of Giovinco or Matri in the fight to partner Vucinic.

[Bagg10]

Well the addition of Asamoah, Giovinco, Isla, Bendtner, etc.. Have added quality as well as depth. Conte started a project last year and the team is now almost complete. The ONE thing we need is a target man like Llorente or Dzeko (although he's cup tied).

Today I thought the game ended after the straight red and the made penalty. I'm really disappointed we didn't keep the clean sheet. Mainly because of the fantasy points but also because we should pride ourselves in playing the full 90 minutes whether we're up four or down four.

As far as the forwards go, I think Vooch and Gio are first choice for now. Matri first in line off the bench, then Quags or Bendtner depending on the team's needs.

I'm a little bummed out we're going on an international break. But I suppose it gives Chiellini, Caceres, Isla and whoever else has knock time to recover.

[Bagg10]

Ecco la lista Champions
03 settembre 2012

La Juventus ha consegnato questa sera all’Uefa l’elenco dei 25 giocatori per la fase a gironi della Champions League.

Ecco la lista:


1 Buffon
2 Lucio
3 Chiellini
4 Caceres
6 Pogba
7 Pepe
8 Marchisio
9 Vucinic
11 De Ceglie
12 Giovinco
15 Barzagli
17 Bendtner
19 Bonucci
20 Padoin
21 Pirlo
22 Asamoah
23 Vidal
24 Giaccherini
26 Lichtsteiner
27 Quagliarella
30 Storari
32 Matri
33 Isla
34 Rubinho
39 Marrone

http://www.juventus.com/juve/it/news/Ec ... +Champions

[Bagg10]

Thursday September 6 2012

Conte like me, says Mourinho
By Football Italia staff

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho says he has no problem with Antonio Conte being described as the Italian Special One. “I’m honoured.”

Conte led Juventus to the Scudetto last season after leaving little Siena for the club he performed for as a player.

“I like that the fans call Conte the Italian Special One,” Mourinho, the original Special One, told Tuttosport. “I feel honoured.”

The former midfielder impressed onlookers with his tactics last term, but also with the way he was able to fire up his side.

“I like Conte a lot as a Coach,” Mourinho added. “He is a bit like me. He knows what he wants and is a real winner. He has a lot of charisma.”

Conte is currently serving a 10-month touchline ban as part of the match fixing sentences, but the Portuguese tactician expects the Old Lady to do well on their return to Europe’s top club competition.

“Can Juventus surprise in the Champions League? Let's not kid anyone, Juventus are a big team in Europe and it would be absolutely normal if they go far in the competition,” Mou underlined.

“The surprise would be if they go all the way and win the Champions League after not playing in Europe last year. But it would not surprise me at all if they make it to the quarters or semi-finals.”

http://www.football-italia.net/24748/co ... s-mourinho

[Bagg10]

JOIN THE CL FANTASY LEAGUE!!

Link: http://en.uclfantasy.uefa.com

League Code: 946336-422061

League Name: www.serieaforums.com

[RomaShield27]

Posted by Mina Rzouki / http://soccernet.espn.go.com/blog/_/nam ... 35?cc=5739

With no domestic football being played and 'ItalJuve' in action in the World Cup qualifiers, the Italian media are instead focusing on facts and figures. La Gazzetta dello Sport have published Serie A players' salary league with Juventus ranking in second place in terms of the overall amount they pay in wages.

Whilst Milan pay €120m a year to their players, Juventus, who sit at the top of the current Serie A table, pay €115m - a slight increase from last season but one that hasn't rocked the boat.

It comes as no surprise that the two world class players Juventus do possess in Gianluigi Buffon and Andrea Pirlo are the highest paid with the former receiving €6m a season as the latter €3.5m. No one would begrudge Pirlo his salary considering how dependent Juve and Italy are on the playmaker's skills but the €6m being paid to Buffon, whilst fully deserved, seems almost a waste.

The reason being that Juventus, due to the strength of their midfield and defence, conceded the least amount of shots than any other side last season, meaning their goalkeeper is hardly ever called upon to rescue the squad. They are also one of the best tackling sides in Italy thanks to the skills of a certain Arturo Vidal to leave the defence with minimal work.

However, the few times that the Bianconeri have called upon their World Cup winning goalkeeper, Buffon has been on hand to perform the miracles needed to preserve the points accrued.

Perhaps the greatest bargain in terms of salary is that of new signing Kwadwo Asamoah who arrived from Udinese this summer. The player is not only the second highest rated Serie A player this season according to whoscored.com but the Ghanaian has been Juve's best tackler, alongside Arturo Vidal, their best dribbler and the man who has won the most amount of aerial duels so far this season - more than any other play at Juventus.

Making €1.4m a year, he alongside the other summer recruit, Sebastian Giovinco, have carried Juve along at the start of this new season as the rest of the squad focuses on rediscovering their optimal levels of fitness.

In their first match of the season against Parma, Asamoah was the Old Lady's best player as he tackled to perfection, cleared effectively, dribbled with ease and delivered an assist to help guide his team to a win.

In the second match against Udinese, it was Giovinco's pleasing movements and two goals in addition to Asamoah's tackles and assist that allowed the team to pick up another three points. Their combined salary comes to €2.8m a season. A bargain when you consider that that equates to €200,000 less than Vincenzo Iaquinta's annual salary which stands at €3m a term.

This brings us nicely to other overpaid players. Another new summer recruit, Lucio arrived on a free transfer and in order to lure him in, Beppe Marotta et al offered him €2m a season. His name alone is worth much more considering how effective the player has been for his previous club, Inter, and how much he has won in his career.

However, considering his age and his performances in the black and white jersey so far, including pre-season friendlies, one cannot help but wonder how he is allowed to walk away with making €300,000 more than fellow centre-back Leonardo Bonucci and right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner - two defenders who not only defend with vigour but who contribute so much to the attacking phase of the game considering Bonucci's ball playing and long ball skills and Lichtsteiner's focus and strength on the wing.

However, based on statistics alone, Lucio had a tremendous season at Inter last year even if the club's woeful defensive record concealed his solid displays. As such, it is unwise to blame Juve's decision to pay him such a salary.

Moving on to Emanuele Giaccherini, one cannot help but feel that the Bianconero makes a tad too little considering he is an Azzurri player and the man Italy Coach Cesare Prandelli continues to believe in. Making only €600,000 a season, the player is not exactly setting Juve alight but he deserves more than to make €100,000 less than Simone Padoin, who has yet to make an impact. Only Mirko Vucinic and Pirlo produced more key passes than the former Cesena player last season for Juve and the player's determination and energy proved key in the matches he did play in.

Whilst the Old Lady's salary structure produced few surprises, it was interesting to note that the team's new stadium continues to attract season ticket holders as the club registered a 12% increase in new subscribers despite the increased cost of these tickets. That percentage could have risen further still but the club have decided to keep a certain portion of tickets aside to be sold to the general public. Further proof that Juve continue to lead the way when it comes to their business model.

[Lupa]

[red]

Juve are expected to rest a few players against Genoa:

GdS predicts:



Dangerous game this one.

Players are never in peak condition after internationals and would be easy to lose focus with the game against Chelsea in midweek.

[red]

Great game to get a win out of, but Juve were appallingly bad for much of that game.

Genoa put in a textbook start for playing against a top side. They pressed hard, played lots of balls in behind the defence and then pressed some more. Juve were never allowed to settle or develop any sort of rhythm.

Genoa's one failing was that they only got the one goal, when I don't think anyone could have complained had they been 3-0 up after half an hour. Juve started to improve after about half an hour, but were still poor. That period of the game was fairly even, with both sides missing chances. Then once Juve equalised Genoa lost belief as they knew they'd blown their big chance and all the effort they'd put in in pressurising Juve had been for nothing and then the inevitable tiredness kicked in late on.

Juve really were awful in that first half, though.

The defence were incredibly timid and were frequently left exposed by Juve's llightweight midfield that was playing too high up the pitch and leaving huge spaces for Genoa players to get the ball and run at Juve's defence.

I could be kind and say that Juve weren't focused as they were already thinking about Chelsea, but I'm not really convinced that was the case.

I understood the need for Juve to start to rotate the squad a bit, but a Marchisio-Pirlo-Giaccherini just doesn't have enough muscle for a tough away game like that. If Juve want to rest Vidal, they need to bring Asamoah or Pogba into the team for him.

And Juve are going to be in trouble against Chelsea if they continue to defend set-pieces the way they have this season.

Why isn't anyone taking the responsibility to go and attack the ball? Why is it so hard for Bonucci and Barzagli to decide how to deal with a CF who starts with Bonucci and drifts to the back post towards Barzagli as the cross comes in?

Chiellini and Bonucci, having started terribly, both at least improved as the game went on.

Barzagli was just dreadful thoughout.

Juve will need to be far more aggressive against Chelsea in midweek or they will be bullied at set-pieces by guys like Terry and Ivanovic who really know how to go and attack the ball.

[Bagg10]

Probably the worst game I've ever seen Barzagli play. The rest of the defense did't play much better either.

I think we had a bit of an international hangover today + Caceres/Chiellini playing their first 90 minutes in a while.

I agree about Giak - Pirlo - Marchisio not being a strong enough midfield trio to be playing a tricky away game against Genoa, especially this early in the season when we're trying to establish ourselves at the top of the table.

The key play in this game was the Buffon save on Bertolacci. In the space of about 20-30 secs we went from a possible two goal deficit to a tie game.

We Also saw how the team settled down and played much better when Asamoah, Vooch and Lichtsteiner came in.

I think (or hope) we'll play a much more disciplined and focused game against Chelsea.

[Bagg10]